IQue, Ltd. (partially found cancelled Chinese localizations of Nintendo video games; 2000s): Difference between revisions
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| Line 22: | Line 22: | ||
|Action-adventure | |Action-adventure | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' (Traditional Chinese) | |''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' (Traditional Chinese) | ||
| Line 28: | Line 28: | ||
|Action-adventure | |Action-adventure | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:green">Found | |<span style="color:green">'''Found''' | ||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 43: | Line 43: | ||
|Strategy | |Strategy | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | ||
|<span style="color:green">Found | |<span style="color:green">'''Found''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising'' | |''Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising'' | ||
| Line 49: | Line 49: | ||
|Strategy | |Strategy | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''DK: King of Swing'' | |''DK: King of Swing'' | ||
| Line 55: | Line 55: | ||
|Puzzle-platformer | |Puzzle-platformer | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | ||
|<span style="color:green">Found | |<span style="color:green">'''Found''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Donkey Kong Country'' | |''Donkey Kong Country'' | ||
| Line 61: | Line 61: | ||
|Platformer | |Platformer | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Famicom Mini Collection*'' | |''Famicom Mini Collection*'' | ||
| Line 67: | Line 67: | ||
|Compilation | |Compilation | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:green">Found | |<span style="color:green">'''Found''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade'' | |''Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade'' | ||
| Line 73: | Line 73: | ||
|Tactical role-playing | |Tactical role-playing | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:green">Found | |<span style="color:green">'''Found''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade'' | |''Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade'' | ||
| Line 79: | Line 79: | ||
|Tactical role-playing | |Tactical role-playing | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones'' | |''Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones'' | ||
| Line 85: | Line 85: | ||
|Tactical role-playing | |Tactical role-playing | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Golden Sun'' | |''Golden Sun'' | ||
| Line 91: | Line 91: | ||
|Role-playing | |Role-playing | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land'' | |''Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land'' | ||
| Line 97: | Line 97: | ||
|Platformer | |Platformer | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Kuru Kuru Kuruin'' | |''Kuru Kuru Kuruin'' | ||
| Line 103: | Line 103: | ||
|Puzzle | |Puzzle | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | ||
|<span style="color:green">Found | |<span style="color:green">'''Found''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Kuruin Paradise'' | |''Kuruin Paradise'' | ||
| Line 109: | Line 109: | ||
|Puzzle | |Puzzle | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | ||
|<span style="color:green">Found | |<span style="color:green">'''Found''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'' | |''Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga'' | ||
| Line 115: | Line 115: | ||
|Role-playing | |Role-playing | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | ||
|<span style="color:green">Found | |<span style="color:green">'''Found''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'' | |''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'' | ||
| Line 121: | Line 121: | ||
|Kart racing | |Kart racing | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | ||
|<span style="color:green">Found | |<span style="color:green">'''Found''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' | |''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' | ||
| Line 127: | Line 127: | ||
|Puzzle-platformer | |Puzzle-platformer | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire'' | |''Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire'' | ||
| Line 133: | Line 133: | ||
|Pinball | |Pinball | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Pokémon: Ruby and Sapphire'' | |''Pokémon: Ruby and Sapphire'' | ||
| Line 139: | Line 139: | ||
|Role-playing | |Role-playing | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Polarium Advance'' | |''Polarium Advance'' | ||
| Line 145: | Line 145: | ||
|Puzzle | |Puzzle | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:green">Found | |<span style="color:green">'''Found''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''The Legendary Starfy'' | |''The Legendary Starfy'' | ||
| Line 151: | Line 151: | ||
|Platformer | |Platformer | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:green">Found | |<span style="color:green">'''Found''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''The Legendary Starfy 2'' | |''The Legendary Starfy 2'' | ||
| Line 157: | Line 157: | ||
|Platformer | |Platformer | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:green">Found | |<span style="color:green">'''Found''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past'' ''/'' ''Four Swords'' | |''The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past'' ''/'' ''Four Swords'' | ||
| Line 163: | Line 163: | ||
|Action-adventure | |Action-adventure | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap'' | |''The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap'' | ||
| Line 169: | Line 169: | ||
|Action-adventure | |Action-adventure | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Tomato Adventure'' | |''Tomato Adventure'' | ||
| Line 175: | Line 175: | ||
|Role-playing | |Role-playing | ||
|Single player | |Single player | ||
|<span style="color:green">Found | |<span style="color:green">'''Found''' | ||
|} | |} | ||
<nowiki>*</nowiki>The ''Famicom Mini Collection'' contains of the ''Classic NES Series'' / ''Famicom Mini'' versions of | <nowiki>*</nowiki>The ''Famicom Mini Collection'' contains of the ''Classic NES Series'' / ''Famicom Mini'' versions of | ||
| Line 203: | Line 203: | ||
|Edutainment | |Edutainment | ||
|Single player, Multiplayer (1-8) | |Single player, Multiplayer (1-8) | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 218: | Line 218: | ||
|Sports | |Sports | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Mario Kart Wii'' | |''Mario Kart Wii'' | ||
| Line 224: | Line 224: | ||
|Kart racing | |Kart racing | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Super Mario Galaxy'' | |''Super Mario Galaxy'' | ||
| Line 230: | Line 230: | ||
|Platformer | |Platformer | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-2) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-2) | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Wii Play'' | |''Wii Play'' | ||
| Line 236: | Line 236: | ||
|Party | |Party | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''Wii Sports'' | |''Wii Sports'' | ||
| Line 242: | Line 242: | ||
|Sports | |Sports | ||
|Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | |Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | ||
|<span style="color:red">Lost | |<span style="color:red">'''Lost''' | ||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 261: | Line 261: | ||
===iQue Game Boy Advance=== | ===iQue Game Boy Advance=== | ||
[[File:Iquegba.jpg|link=link=Special:FilePath/Nintendo-game-boy-game-boy-advance-ique-mario-luigi-002_470x246.webp|alt=|left|thumb|iQue Mario & Luigi Game Boy Advance]] | [[File:Iquegba.jpg|link=link=Special:FilePath/Nintendo-game-boy-game-boy-advance-ique-mario-luigi-002_470x246.webp|alt=|left|thumb|iQue Mario & Luigi Game Boy Advance]] | ||
Despite only 8 games releasing over 20 games were fully translated with over 10 additional games being almost finished. It's unknown why so many games were never released but it's possible they | Despite only 8 games releasing over 20 games were fully translated with over 10 additional games being almost finished. It's unknown why so many games were never released but it's possible they were scrapped alongside the NC Card. NC Card was a GBA flashcard with network capabilities developed by iQue that would allow users to download games from the internet, similar to the iQue Player. It would also allow users to play with others online in games such as ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'' and ''Pokémon: Ruby and Sapphire.'' Even after 4 years of development the team couldn't get this feature to work well so the project was scrapped entirely.<ref name=":1" /> On March 25, 2019, iQue ROMs of ''Advance Wars, DK: King of Swing, Famicom Mini Collection, Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, Kuru Kuru Kuruin, Kuruin Paradise, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Polarium Advance, The Legendary Starfy, The Legendary Starfy 2,'' and ''Tomato Adventure'' were dumped and released by Forest of Illusion member togemet2. Every other known game has yet to be found with more unknown games possibly being out there. | ||
===iQue DS=== | ===iQue DS=== | ||
| Line 335: | Line 335: | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
[[Category:Lost internet media]] | |||
[[Category:Lost video games]] | |||
[[Category:Partially found media]] | [[Category:Partially found media]] | ||
Revision as of 23:22, 17 February 2022
iQue, Ltd. logo.
Status: Partially Found
iQue, Ltd. is a Chinese video game localization and console manufacturing company located in Suzhou which was founded as a joint venture between Wei Yen and Nintendo in an effort to skirt the Chinese government's ban on video games. The company manufactured and distributed official Nintendo products in Mainland China until 2018. During that time they released versions of the Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, DS, 3DS as well as cancelled versions of the GameCube and Wii.[1][2] Due to the brand's general lack of success and to a lesser extent interference from the Chinese government[2] many of the company's localizations have never been released.
Known Cancelled Localizations
iQue Player
| English Name | Chinese Name | Genre | Game Modes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask | 塞尔达传说-魔力面具- | Action-adventure | Single player | Lost |
| The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Traditional Chinese) | 塞爾達傳說：時光之笛 | Action-adventure | Single player | Found |
iQue Game Boy Advance
| English Name | Chinese Name | Genre | Game Modes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advance Wars | 陆海空大战 | Strategy | Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | Found |
| Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising | N/A | Strategy | Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | Lost |
| DK: King of Swing | 摇摆森喜刚 | Puzzle-platformer | Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | Found |
| Donkey Kong Country | 超级大金刚 | Platformer | Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | Lost |
| Famicom Mini Collection* | 红白机合集 | Compilation | Single player | Found |
| Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade | 火纹战记: 封印之剑 | Tactical role-playing | Single player | Found |
| Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade | N/A | Tactical role-playing | Single player | Lost |
| Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones | N/A | Tactical role-playing | Single player | Lost |
| Golden Sun | 黄金太阳 | Role-playing | Single player | Lost |
| Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land | 星之卡比：梦之泉 | Platformer | Single player | Lost |
| Kuru Kuru Kuruin | 转转棒 | Puzzle | Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | Found |
| Kuruin Paradise | 转转棒天堂 | Puzzle | Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | Found |
| Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga | 马力欧与路易吉RPG | Role-playing | Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | Found |
| Mario Kart: Super Circuit | 马力欧卡丁车超级赛道 | Kart racing | Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | Found |
| Mario vs. Donkey Kong | 马力欧对大金刚 | Puzzle-platformer | Single player | Lost |
| Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire | 精灵宝可梦弹珠台 | Pinball | Single player | Lost |
| Pokémon: Ruby and Sapphire | 精灵宝可梦：红宝石·蓝宝石 | Role-playing | Single player | Lost |
| Polarium Advance | 通勤一笔 | Puzzle | Single player | Found |
| The Legendary Starfy | 斯塔非的传说 | Platformer | Single player | Found |
| The Legendary Starfy 2 | 斯塔非的传说2 | Platformer | Single player | Found |
| The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past / Four Swords | 塞尔达传说：三角力量／四支神剑 | Action-adventure | Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | Lost |
| The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap | 塞尔达传说：神奇小帽 | Action-adventure | Single player | Lost |
| Tomato Adventure | 番茄酱王国大冒险 | Role-playing | Single player | Found |
*The Famicom Mini Collection contains of the Classic NES Series / Famicom Mini versions of
- Balloon Fight
- Clu Clu Land
- Donkey Kong
- Dr. Mario
- Excitebike
- Ice Climber
- Mario Bros.
- Metroid
- Super Mario Bros.
- Super Mario Bros. 2
- Wrecking Crew
iQue DS
| English Name | Chinese Name | Genre | Game Modes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Brain Academy | 大脑科学院 | Edutainment | Single player, Multiplayer (1-8) | Lost |
iQue Wii
| English Name | Chinese Name | Genre | Game Modes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games | 马力欧索尼克北京奥运会 | Sports | Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | Lost |
| Mario Kart Wii | N/A | Kart racing | Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | Lost |
| Super Mario Galaxy | 马力欧银河 | Platformer | Single player, multiplayer (1-2) | Lost |
| Wii Play | N/A | Party | Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | Lost |
| Wii Sports | N/A | Sports | Single player, multiplayer (1-4) | Lost |
Cancellation and Availability
iQue Player
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
A Simplified Chinese translation of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask was planned for release in 2004.[3] The translation was very late into development even being featured on the back of the iQue Player's box but was cancelled due to technical issues with battery saves[2] and the company's limited workforce being shifted to work on the iQue Game Boy Advance.[4]
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Traditional Chinese)
While a version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in Simplified Chinese was one of the iQue Player's launch titles a Traditional Chinese translation was discovered as a cache file located on iQue@Home's CDS. The translation was later dumped by iQue Player homebrew group Suxxors, claiming that their iQue Player unit is perhaps the only one that contains the ticket for it. It's unknown why iQue would make a Traditional Chinese translation as Mainland China's standard script is Simplified Chinese. It's possible that iQue considered moving to other regions that use Traditional Chinese after the system greatly underperformed in the mainland.[1]
iQue Cube
Originally there was meant to be a follow-up to the iQue Player that would play GameCube games but was cancelled early on due to the Player's poor sales and no localizations were made.[1]
iQue Game Boy Advance
Despite only 8 games releasing over 20 games were fully translated with over 10 additional games being almost finished. It's unknown why so many games were never released but it's possible they were scrapped alongside the NC Card. NC Card was a GBA flashcard with network capabilities developed by iQue that would allow users to download games from the internet, similar to the iQue Player. It would also allow users to play with others online in games such as Mario Kart: Super Circuit and Pokémon: Ruby and Sapphire. Even after 4 years of development the team couldn't get this feature to work well so the project was scrapped entirely.[2] On March 25, 2019, iQue ROMs of Advance Wars, DK: King of Swing, Famicom Mini Collection, Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, Kuru Kuru Kuruin, Kuruin Paradise, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Polarium Advance, The Legendary Starfy, The Legendary Starfy 2, and Tomato Adventure were dumped and released by Forest of Illusion member togemet2. Every other known game has yet to be found with more unknown games possibly being out there.
iQue DS
A Simplified Chinese translation of Big Brain Academy can be seen in a trailer for the iQue DS Lite. It was never shown after and no ROM has leaked to the internet.
iQue Wii
The iQue Wii (sometimes known as the iQue Interactive Video Player) was a scrapped localization of the Nintendo Wii for Mainland China. Even though the console had been approved for release in Qingdao as a test market the system was met with resistance from the newly formed Ministry of Industry and Information Technology ultimately leading to its cancellation. The 10 games planned to launch alongside the console were left alongside it on the cutting room floor with only ones announced being Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Play, and Wii Sports. Wii Play and Wii Sports were later released in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan but they lack any Simplified Chinese translation indicating that they are entirely separate from the iQue translations.[2][5] Remnants of a Simplified Chinese translation of Mario Kart Wii exist in the data of the game's Korean release suggesting it was another one of the console's launch titles.[6] Simplified Chinese translations of Mario Kart Wii and Super Mario Galaxy were later released for the Nvidia Shield in 2018 however no iQue staff are credited with translation meaning these are likely brand new translations.[5][7]
Gallery
Images
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask iQue poster.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask iQue manual box art.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask iQue banner from an older version of the iQue@Home website.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask's title screen.
Link talking to the Business Scrub in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.
Link playin the Ocarina of Time on the beaches of Great Bay in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.
Link swimming in Great Bay in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.
Link swinging his sword in Clock Town in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.
Link looking at a Clock Town resident in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.
Link about to speak with a Clock Town resident at night in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.
Advance Wars' title screen.
Advance Wars' introduction.
Advance Wars gameplay.
Advance Wars' Chinese logo and screenshots.
DK: King of Swing's title screen.
DK: King of Swing's main menu.
DK: King of Swing's introduction.
Famicom Mini Collection's title screen.
Famicom Mini Collection's game select.
Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade's title screen.
Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade's main menu.
Kuru Kuru Kururin's title screen
Kuru Kuru Kururin's attract demo.
Kuru Kuru Kururin's main menu.
Kururin Paradise's title screen.
Kururin Paradise's main menu.
Kururin Paradise gameplay.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga's title screen.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga's main menu.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga's introduction.
Mario Kart: Super Circuit's title screen.
Mario Kart: Super Circuit's menu.
Mario Kart: Super Circuit's character select.
Polarium Advance's title screen.
Polarium Advance's main menu.
Polarium Advance gameplay.
The Legendary Starfy's title screen.
The Legendary Starfy's main menu.
The Legendary Starfy's introduction.
The Legendary Starfy 2's title screen.
The Legendary Starfy 2's main menu.
The Legendary Starfy 2's introduction.
Tomato Adventure's title screen.
Tomato Adventure's main menu.
Tomato Adventure's introduction.
Videos
External Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 《记录》第17期：神游中国（上）by 大狗 on chuapp.com. Retrived 16 Feb '22.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 《记录》第17期：神游中国（下）by 大狗 on chuapp.com. Retrieved 16 Feb '22.
- ↑ The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask page from the official iQue website archived on Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 Feb '22.
- ↑ AMA with former iQue employee "hide" on the TGFC Lifestyle forums. Retrieved 16 Feb '22.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 iQue Localization Time and Staff Merged spreadsheet by Chinese Nintendo. Retrieved 17 Feb '22.
- ↑ Scrapped Mario Kart Wii Chinese Localization Offers Users “Healthy Gaming Advice” by Iggy on NintendoSoup.Retrieved 17 Feb '22.
- ↑ Nvidia Shield Shutting Down Nintendo Wii Game Downloads In China by Liam Doolan on Nintendo Life. Retrieved 17 Feb '22.